Wow. There doesn’t seem to be a more appropriate way to word the beginning of this review, than to simply express my genuine surprise, and indeed  – to a certain extent – admiration of the UMi Voix Blu headphone, which I’ve had the honor to test the prototype for during the last month, at UMi’s request. I would actually go so far as to say that the Voix Blu headset has the potential to disrupt the headphone community more than any headphone has done for the last few years. However, whether it will or not is something I strongly encourage you to read on in order to arrive at your own conclusion about.

Design & Build​

Audiophile or not, the first thing that’s going to strike you about the UMi Voix Blu is that, boy, is this headphone gracefully clean or what. The matte snow-white design of the Blu’s headband together with the matte pitch-black style of the cushioned ear-pad speakers creates a nice distinct ”Stormtrooper look”. This simplistic design continues with a nice shade of industrial grey on the rubberized inside of the headband, and is really shown in the minimalistic remote control hub positioned on the right driver capsule, at the end of the headband.



Once you get the headphone out of it’s simple, cheap *cough*, and sadly not particularly exciting packaging, you are going to feel that whatever quality the packing may lack, it is more than compensated by the genuine premium feel of the headphone itself. While the Voix Blu feels sturdy and solid, – primarily due to the rubberized inside of the headband and qualitative polycarbonate-fiber frame for it’s outside -, the headphone is astonishingly light for a stereo headset, coming in at just 125 grams – which means the entire headphone unit weighs in at less than the iPhone 5C!

The remote control hub is surprisingly elegant and straightforward for a Chinese headset priced below $50. It is dominated by a central circular play/pause button, which also doubles as a power/connect button. This button is in turn surrounded by a thin transparent plastic ring, through which an integrated LED flashes to inform the wearer of the headset’s status, e.g. powered on, ready to pair to device, powered off, charging or connected. Around this LED circle, there’s an upper portion of two controls, in charge of lowering/raising the volume, and a lower portion of two controls for rewinding/skipping songs. The buttons feel durable, and have a satisfying ”click” – supposed you actually press down right on the ”-”, ”+”, ”<” or ”>” symbol, since the headset – understandably – seems to struggle with registering clicks on the fringe of the controls.

One surprising, albeit welcome, feature of the UMi Voix Blu is that the entire polycarbonate fiber frame is designed to allow an active, portable lifestyle. This is partly why the headset is so light, but this unique way in which the fiber frame is composed also makes the headset ultra-flexible, besides just being light – which simply means that this headphone can flex about as much as you can twist or bend it. I think it’s impossible to snap the headband by mistake, and you can simply forget about accidentally breaking this headphone by sitting on it. Ain’t gonna happen.

(However, I must add, that if you happen to be stupid tech journalist who has got to test exactly how much pressure the Voix Blu can withstand without snapping, you might end up with a small crack right at the apex of the white plastic headband. This happened to me just as I was finishing up this review, and I want to clearly state that although you can obviously damage this headset, it took an excessive amount of force. It was also not in any way UMi’s fault, as they could not possibly had expected someone to be foolish enough to see where the headband objected.)

Technology​

The UMi Voix Blu utilizes a Bluetooth 4.0 connection to pair to your preferred device, which means that this wireless connection can handle pretty much whatever you throw at it. I’ve also tried to pair it to older devices that use Bluetooth 2.0, and this works like a charm. The Bluetooth 4.0 connection is also surprisingly stable – the marketing for the UMi Voix Blu touts that it’s got a 10 meter wireless range, and I would actually daresay the real world performance is even better. I can move around the entire lower floor of my house without losing the connection, even if my phone is sitting, charging, in the far corner of my closed room. The unit also supports NFC, for those Android owners who prefer to connect that way. Basically, the wireless technology in this headphone is excellent.

However, a wireless headset is only as good as it’s battery capacity, as anyone who’s ever tries a pair of Bluetooth headphones will know, and this is frequently an area of concern when making the move to wireless drivers. The Voix Blu, though, continue to pleasantly surprise, delivering audio for one or two hours over the advertised capacity of 10 hours, totaling at around 12 hours. Charging the Voix Blu, when the internal rechargeable battery is finally depleted, is also hassle free. There’s an USB to Mini-USB charging cable included, and the Voix Blu manages a full charge in about 2.5 hours.



The Voix Blu also uses passive noise cancellation, which means that you’ll still hear some background sound, but still be immersed in the music – without becoming completely isolated from surrounding audial imputs.

Audio​

I am going to be brief on this topic, as I know audio can be an area where personal preferences greatly affect your attitude. However, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way – the actual audio in this headset is not breathtaking, staggering, or revolutionary in any way. The audio is certainly clear enough, features adequate mids, high and lows, and can even throw in some somewhat booming bass time to time. Most of the time though, the audio is quite ”cold”, so to speak – it never gets warm, emotional or distracting, which can be both good and bad. The headset is also a bit prone to audio leakage, and although it never gets that bad at a medium volume, people around you definitely hear what your playing if you raise the volume quite a bit. It should although be noted that despite this the audio projected into your ears remains very clear, and can easily bring out all of the intricate parts of a song that cheap handsets traditionally struggle with. And perhaps I am being a bit too harsh on the UMi Voix Blu – this is after all headphones for about $50, and I’m simply stating that it doesn’t have the same quality as a $100, or even $200 headset – it is still an amazing bargain at $49.



In conclusion then, if I’m perfectly honest I’d say the audio is just about average – it is not in anyway outright bad, but an audiophile is going to want more than the Voix Blu can offer. However, this is where it get’s interesting – because even if the Blu does not have a sound quality that caters to the audiophile segment of the market, neither does any other Bluetooth headphones on the market. If you choose the portability of a pair of wireless headphones, you are clearly not in it for remarkable audio quality.

Analysis​

If you keep this in mind, the UMi Voix Blu quickly becomes a more and more attractive offer. To reiterate, audiophiles are not the market for the Voix Blu, so sound quality is less of an issue.  Sure, a normal guy could spend a lot more money on a couple of Bluetooth earphones that might sound better, but they would not sound a lot better, as the real limitations on wireless devices’ sound quality come from the Bluetooth connection. This makes the cheaper, but very capable Voix Blu look even better by comparison. The more I think about this, the more I see the elegant logic behind how UMi is positioning the Blu.



If we think about it, Bluetooth headphones should be all about portability – that is after all, at the core of it, why they are wireless to begin with. However, a lot of Bluetooth headsets try to pack a lot of features, cutting-edge technologies and premium materials in the same enclose, which is also designed to look good (aka expensive). While they typically manage these parts quite well, this also means that the headphones usually become fragile – which means you have got to be careful with them.

Now if we reflect over this for a minute, we see that it makes very little sense. If a device is supposed to be all about portability, it is a severely limiting and counterproductive move to manufacture portable products that are so delicate as today’s flagship headsets. The Voix Blu, however, stays true to this original thought about portability – and therefore the Voix Blu is designed to be twisted, dropped, sat on, thrown, and generally abused without quitting, or even complaining. The Voix Blu is also compatible with a huge array of devices – virtually anything with Bluetooth capabilities is able to connect to it. Hell, I bet my old laptop from the early 2000s could connect to this sucker.

Besides featuring both great durability and connectivity, it is very affordably priced. I don’t know whether UMi is trying to build up a loyal fanbase by offering such a versatile headset at this low price-point, or if they simply don’t have very competent people in charge of pricing – but whatever the reason, I’m loving it.

Conclusion​

The Blu is about the perfect device for someone who is just trying out their first Bluetooth headset, and being so easy to use as well as so affordable, it has all the makings of a product that could very well see widespread general adoption. Actually come to think of it, a lot of things about the UMi Voix Blu is reminding me about a pair of cheaply priced IEMs I reviewed a couple of years ago on Head-Fi – the Xiaomi Pistons 2. After this, they exploded in popularity, and with more and more smartwatches coming out that are more and more competent (I’m especially thinking of the Apple Watch, but also the upcoming 2015 Moto 360), the popularity of wireless Bluetooth headsets is about to rocket. Whether or not the UMi Voix Blu is the cataclysm that will trigger this, I don’t know. All I know is that I certainly wouldn’t mind if it was.

The UMi Voix Blu is available to purchase on Amazon, at “http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010N4Y288″, or on Coolicool at  “http://www.coolicool.com/umi-voix-blu-wireless-bluetooth-headset-support-hands-free-with-mic-for-smartphones-computer-and-tab-g-40810″.

My my, how time flies. It’s been over a year - and similarly over 136K views - since I wrote my original review for the Beryllium Xiaomi Pistons 2.0, or Xiaomi MK301. During the past year, I’ve gone through these 2.0s, along with a pair of 2.1s and various other IEMs, but I’ve never been quite as impressed with the combination of a sleek design and great audio, as I was with the original Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 (the 2.1s don’t really count as a separate product). However, at long last, Xiaomi has released another product to give the Xiaomi Pistons a run for their money - namely, the ”1 More Design ’Duomi’ Crystal Pistons”. The review sample of the Crystal Pistons I used was supplied.
 
The first thing you’re going to notice about the Crystal Pistons, - whether you're coming from a previous pair of Xiaomi Pistons, or if you're completely new to the Xiaomi ecosystem -, is that they are, indeed, aptly named ”Crystal Pistons”. The Crystal Pistons are aimed at a more ”fashionable” niche of the market than the regular standard Beryllium Pistons, and you can definitely tell. A large crystal, made out of ”Swarovski elements”, dominates the back of each earphone, and it quickly becomes clear that these IEMs are something completely different from what we’ve come to expect from Xiaomi - at least visually. In fact, these earphones are so different that they are being sold under the name of ”Duomi” - the name of Xiaomi’s dedicated music streaming service - , together with the established name of Xiaomi’s long time design-partner - ”1 More Design”. The earphones are delivered in an elegant black container, with a sturdy premium-paper construction and a minimalistic exterior. The phrase ”your fashion, your sparkle” is the only thing engraved on the box, and the box is opened by simply folding the ”reverse seagull-wing flaps” upwards. This ”lid” (of sorts) is neatly sealed by magnets concealed within the black paper flaps, and just below these flaps there’s a stylish, slightly pink certificate that states that the earphones are made with ”Swarovski elements”. Beneath this certificate there’s a circular ”mold”, in the same soft silicone previously known from the Beryllium Piston molds, which the earphones are neatly tied into. The mold rests on a small container, in clear dimmed white plastic, which contains three additional pairs of tips. Beneath this, there is a fashionable ”pouch” for storing the earphones - which makes a satisfactory magnetic snap when it closes. Finally, there’s yet another light pink certificate, which details how you’re supposed to use the volume controls and so on. The price is even lower than the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1, at just $17.99 at the time of writing (although normally it’s even steeper than the 2.1s, at $36.00, and on 1 More Designs own site it’s sold for $64(!)) All in all, this doesn’t seem like the functional, down to earth packaging and pricing of previous Xiaomi Pistons, and it becomes evident that Xiaomi is trying to go after a primarily female, premium target audience with their new ”Duomi” brand. This is only further accentuated by the fact that the most popular color for the Crystal Pistons is a bright pink metallic color, complete with pink Swarovski crystals, although both black and silver editions are also offered. On the inside, however, there’s no doubt that this is nothing except a Xiaomi earphone - but more on this in a short while.
 
If we first finish up with the exterior, these IEMs (In-Ear Monitors) are, despite being a bit overly feminine, actually really sleek and they radiate brisk serenity. My pair was of the silver edition, which seemed like the most masculine choice (although I’m having second thoughts about not choosing black instead), and they exude a sense of chilly ”coolness” (literally), with stylish ear-tips - that look almost frost colored - and exclusive-looking matte brushed silvery aluminium, which goes along extraordinary well to every sort of phone imaginable. The back of the actual earphones themselves have a 15° ”specular edge”, which gently curves down nicely to the dominant Swarovski crystal on each earpiece. The cord is made out of kevlar, just like on the Xiaomi Pistons 2.0, but Xiaomi has gone ahead and improved the durability of the cord by incapsulating the kevlar cord in a super-resistant ”TPE”-material. This should help make the already very resistant kevlar cord nearly impossible to damage by mistake. Further down the cord, it becomes evident that the remote has also been reworked and improved from the Xiaomi Pistons - greatly. Although it looks similar, with matte edges, a brushed surface, and soft plastic buttons, it’s completely reworked on the inside. It now features Xiaomi’s brand new ”AI Intelligent Dual Control Technology”, which allows the user to smoothly use every aspect of the remote’s functionality, whether he’s using an Android phone or an iOS device - and it actually works great, something I’ve waited for Xiaomi to implement. While on the subject of the volume control hub, or ”remote”, it comes equipped with three separate buttons - one for pausing/playing/summoning Siri/rewinding/skipping tracks, and two for raising respectively lowering the volume. It also comes with a microphone, the best part of which is that it actually - surprisingly enough - sounds pretty damn good: certainly more than good enough for clear calls or recording voice-notes, and the microphone is actually good enough to record a decent podcast with. Naturally it can’t compete with high range microphones for $100 or more, but it basically blows the rest of the earphone microphone competition out of the water. The remote hub is, just like on other Xiaomi Piston earphones, situated just below where the two cords from each earpiece intersect and merge to a single one. This is not ergonomically ideal, since the volume control hub becomes positioned just a tad too low, compared to for example the Apple EarPods - where the remote control hub is situated on the right ear cord. Xiaomi brought over the improved and slightly lengthened cord length, which was introduced last summer in the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1, which allows me to wrap the cord nicely around my iPhone 5S, and which is generally just more handy. At the end of the cord, literally, the earphones are connected to your preferred device by a standard, - albeit according to Xiaomi ”gold-plated” - 3.5 millimeter connector plug, which touts reduced signal loss and claims to convey a more ”authentic sound” than the plug in previous Xiaomi Pistons. 
 
You can, however, tell that the Crystal Pistons have amazing audio as soon as you plug in the smooth - and surprisingly tight and comfortable - ”Pacifier Grade Silica”-tips and turn on your music. The sound is crisp and clear, and the Crystal Pistons have no trouble bringing forth intricate background melodies which generally go undiscovered. Similarly, Spotify’s ”Extreme” quality and Beats Music’s HQ audio really come to their right with the Crystal Pistons, where the subtle improvements of high quality audio are perceptible. I’m going to keep the audial review short, but the bottom line is that the sound is, just like with the Pistons 2.0 and 2.1, simply insanely great - for any pair of earphones. The Crystal Pistons deliver an impressively wide soundstage, both clear low and high frequencies, low distortion and feature a crisp and ”sparkly” tremble which stands out. This, along with a bass that can be appreciated by anyone, since it’s still tight enough for audiophiles to be able to enjoy it whilst it is also powerful enough for the general public to be satisfied, makes the Crystal Pistons a lot like the Xiaomi Pistons. I would also dare to say that the imaging in the Crystal Pistons, to a certain extent, is better than in the 2.1 Xiaomi Pistons. This, however, is only true to a certain extent, since the quality of the imaging is reduced more and more as the song goes on, and the audio sometimes quickly becomes muddled after extraordinary imaging at first. I think I have found the reason to this, which I present in the next paragraph.
 
If we continue to the innards of the earphones, we see that this is because Xiaomi built these IEMs around their absolutely astounding beryllium drivers, first introduced in the MK301 Pistons, and you can definitely tell that these are top-notch drivers. The Crystal Pistons also feature a reworked dual dampening system, called the ”Pistons Acoustic Dampening Technology System”. This is a lot better than Xiaomi’s other dampening systems traditionally utilized in the company’s non-Beryllium earphones and even superior to the dampening system in Beryllium Pistons, but I doubt it’s something we’re going to see introduced in the Xiaomi Pistons 3.0. The reason is simple - the Beryllium Xiaomi Pistons instead use an ingenious ”sound channel”, which allows fragments of the audio to pass through a small hole, protected by a mash-net on the back of the earpieces. Allowing unwanted audio to leave the earpiece, ironically, makes the Beryllium Pistons better isolated, and prevents that the audio ever becomes muddled. The Crystal Pistons, on the other hand, eschews this sound channel, and instead places its large Swarovski crystals on the back of the earpieces. This makes the Crystal Pistons generally leakier than the Beryllium Pistons - although they’re not as leaky as for example Apple’s EarPods -, and I believe that this is also the reason as to why the imaging decreases in quality. This is because the Crystal Pistons utilize a ”rear sound-wave path”, just like the Beryllium Pistons, but where muddled excess audio is channeled out of the earpiece in the Beryllium Pistons through the rear sound channel, excess noise is unable to escape in the Crystal Pistons. According to the technical details of the ”Acoustic Dampening Technology” in the Crystal Pistons, excess noise is instead reflected by the sound chamber walls, and are being ”bounced” back onto the Hi-Fi Beryllium diaphragm drivers, which naturally impedes sound restoration. This makes the audio just the slightest bit jumbled and messy compared to the Beryllium Pistons after a while - although it’s important to keep in mind that this is nearly undetectable.
 
In conclusion, the 1 More Design ’Duomi’ Crystal Pistons are great earphones. They are a more refined version of the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1, and they have basically kept everything that made the MK301s great and just added on that. The ”AI Intelligent Dual Control Technology”, which (finally) makes all the volume control hub buttons fully functional is a most welcome addition, and I’m pleasantly surprised that Xiaomi brought over the expensive Beryllium diaphragm drivers from the MK301. The Swarovski crystals are another expensive addition, and I honestly can’t understand how they can make a profit from offering them for $17.99. The headphones are an absolute steal at that price, and I believe that it would be worth to buy them even at $36 or $64 if you don't previously own a pair of Xiaomi earphones. However, I will not replace my pair of Xiaomi Pistons 2.1 with these as my daily driver, mostly due to one thing - the design. The design is what these earphones are all about, but I’m simply not a fan of the crystal approach. This might simply be because I have that Y-chromosome which we are being told seems to be the root of so much trouble or simply because I'm not enough of a fashionista, but I don’t feel like walking around with gems sticking out of my ears. Perhaps I would reconsider if the audio was dramatically better than the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1, but the Crystal Pistons and Beryllium Pistons are basically at the same - extremely high - audial level. If anything, I would say that the Beryllium Pistons are ever so slightly better than the Crystal Pistons, since they feature the rear sound channel which relieves the diaphragm  drivers from noise disturbance - but the difference is ever so slight that I might just be imagining it. Compared to any other earphones, these are simply amazing IEMs. The Crystal Pistons deliver crisp and clear audio that’s far ahead of the competition. I’d say, if you haven't tried Xiaomi Pistons before, you should place an order immediately. $17.99 really is an unbelievable deal for a pair of earphones of this quality, and if you believe the technical analysis diagrams, then the Crystal Pistons Earphones beat a pair of Beats HEADPHONES in both Sound Pressure Levels and Total Harmonic Distortion. If you on the other already own a pair of Xiaomi Pistons, I would say that if you're fashion oriented and don’t have a particular dislike of premium crystals (albeit they’re just as small as a petite bead), you should definitely go for them. Simply, there’s a chance that my Xiaomi Pistons have finally found a superior pair of earphones - in Xiaomi’s new, fashion oriented yet absolutely superb release. 
 
 
The first pair of earphones to rival the fit and finish along with the first-rate audio of the Beryllium Xiaomi Pistons is Xiaomi’s latest creation - the sleek and design oriented ”1 More Design ’Duomi’ Crystal Pistons”. The silver edition which I received as a review sample has got a very ”wintery”, cold look to them - which is not something bad. The pure white ear-tips blend in wonderfully with the matte, brushed and silver-anodized aluminium, together with the clear, transparent crystals that give the product its name.
 
 
The Crystal Pistons are impeccably packaged, just as one has come to expect from Xiaomi - although these earphones are actually being sold under Xiaomi’s Duomi brand name. They are neatly wound around a soft circular silicon mold, in which the Crystal Pistons are firmly placed in the middle. Just like Xiaomi traditionally does, the company has included a bag of additional tips tucked away beneath the mold, and, as a first, the company has also included a pouch for storing the earphones in a stylish manner, instead of having to wind them around the mold like with previous Beryllium Xiaomi Pistons.
 
 
The Crystal Pistons come equipped with three pairs of additional tips, besides the ”normal sized” pair already mounted on the Crystal Pistons themselves. The most interesting addition here are the ribbed ”sport”-tips, which have replaced the previous ”conversation”-tips Xiaomi has been fond of including. The Sport-tips are sure to work better than the Conversation-tips, at least, and there’s also both ”small” and ”large” tips, so you'll be sure to find something you like. The tips are also surprisingly comfortable for stock tips. The biggest improvement, however, in these earphones are Xiaomi’s ”AI Intelligent Dual Control Technology” which finally brings unabridged control of the volume control hub to global users on both iOS and Android. Finally!
 
 
Although the box for the Crystal Pistons is completely reworked from the Beryllium Xiaomi Pistons’ boxes, and that it features the ”Duomi” logo in white right next to the tagline ”your fashion, your sparkle”, this is still the top-notch packing we’ve come to expect from Xiaomi. The packaging is surprisingly small while keeping higher quality than Xiaomi’s signature cardboard packaging. Even after arriving here in Sweden, and having been shipped halfway across the world, the packaging did not have the slightest scuff and looked crisp and inviting.
 
 
The Crystal Pistons feature two, bead-sized Swarovski crystals on the back of each earpiece - just where Xiaomi Pistons have the grooved patented Xiaomi CD-pattern. The Swarovski crystals come with their own certificate, although I doubt that they are truly real - with both Beryllium drivers and Swarovski crystals, this product is worth closer to $100. The Crystal Pistons also use a new special form of audio produced through the exclusive ”Crystal Sound Technology”, which ”adopts full frequency bands, and enables low-distortion acoustic design for authentic music”.
 
 
The Crystal Pistons use the same exclusive (and excellent) Beryllium diaphragm drivers as the latest Xiaomi Pistons 2.1s. However, the Crystal Pistons bring a much improved dual dampening system called the ”Pistons Acoustic Dampening Technology System”. This is leaps and bounds ahead of the dampening system Xiaomi has previously used, and superior even to the dampening system of the MK301 Pistons. If Xiaomi can pull it off to integrate the Acoustic Dampening Technology in an earphone whilst keeping the rear audio-channel of the Xiaomi Pistons 2.1, they are gonna be so far ahead of the competition that they won’t even be able to see them in the rear-view mirror.
 
 
As always, it seems, Xiaomi has brought yet another surprise to the table. Tucked away at the very bottom of the stylish black box is a fashionable pouch, with a large Duomi logo on it, and which you can use to keep your Crystal Pistons in. The pouch closes and opens with a satisfying magnetic snap, and if you’re in the market for a pair of Swarovski earphones, why not sweeten the deal by getting your own pouch. Although personally I wouldn’t ever want to unplug my Crystal Pistons and pack them away.

The first thing you are going to notice about your Pistons, is that these babies are absolutely gorgeous. I'm not talking about that these headphones simply look nice (although they do) - they are, without a doubt, the most beautiful headphones I have ever had the distinct pleasure to rest my eyes upon (regardless of price group). This extends far beyond the actual headphones themselves - the box is a design-marvel all on its own. Crafted out of a single sheet of thin cardboard, this - surprisingly small - box is equipped with all the instructions you could possibly crave for your new Xiaomi Pistons, and - more importantly - they also include the exquisite box that will - hopefully - contain your Pistons. Under a clear plastic lid - that could easily pass for glass - your pistons will be lying, embedded in a simple silicone mold. The industrial, and at the same time stylish design will jump at you, and once you unwind the cord - through an ingenious method - the sheer feel of the brisk golden beryllium in your hand will flabbergast you.

However, all of these pleasant aspects fade away once you put the headphones in your ears, in sheer awe. I have had a troublesome history with in-ear headphones, but these do the trick really well, especially if I use the smallest ear-size included (which, together with a large size and one for conversations, are neatly tucked away beneath the silicone mold). I'm not going to try to describe the actual audio, any more than this - it is simply amazing. I was completely unaware of that in-ear headphones existed that had the capacity to produce this sort of audio. My switch to using the Pistons was both an easy and rewarding experience. I started picking up subtle new melodies that had never been there before in songs, and even set to "extreme" streaming quality, Spotify had trouble keeping up with the Pistons. What was a more disappointing experience was switching to a pair of Apple's EarPods (actually quite decent stock headphones). The EarPods have always managed very well in my opinion, and although they still produced an adequate audio-experience, they were complete devoid of any feeling. I would compare the experience to drinking your tea without any sugar - then suddenly switch to taking two sugars, and then switch back after a week. It goes without saying that my EarPods have been forced into early retirement following this disappointing episode.

The Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 are, however, not entirely without flaws. Even so, almost all of my complaints are nonetheless related to the cord. Although the play/pause button, housed in the cylindrical volume control hub, works very well with my iPhone (and all other commands for that button as well, like activating Siri/replay track/skip track), the actual volume controls themselves do not work. I'm hoping against hope that this will be fixed by Apple in an OTA update, but I recognise that this is unlikely. While on the subject of the volume control hub, it is not situated on the cord protruding out of the right headphone - it is instead positioned directly below where the two cords intersect and merge into a single one. This is not ergonomically ideal, and it allows for a number of awkward positions when you are trying to pause. Also, the cord is just a bit too short, about five centimeters shy of that ideal length that lets me wrap it around my iPhone when walking. Instead, now a few centimeters poke out of my pocket whenever I'm listening to my Pistons, and if I wrap the cord halfway around my iPhone, then I'm faced with having too short a cord. The cord is also probably the least flattering part of the headphones - composed of a brown mishmash of - tangle-free - nylon-strings (that actually work surprisingly well), it is not quite up to the same level of unchallenged design-supremacy that the rest of the headphones are. Also, the elegant gold-plated 3.5 mm plug is making me regret that I bought the SpaceGrey iPhone 5S, instead of the Gold iPhone 5S (which it compliments vary nicely, looking like the coolest stock headphones you have ever seen). Don't let this fool you, however. The Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 are almost unfeasibly good, and their drawbacks are nowhere near their pro.

I haven't talked about the price of these headphones, simply because it has nothing to do with the Pistons. I would easily buy these Pistons if they cost $50, and I would just as easily order a pair if they were sold for $100. These headphones are a bargain for anything less than three digits, and I cannot honestly understand why Xiaomi would sell them for as little as $25 (!). My advice to you is the - "Go. Buy. One. Now.", before Xiaomi bumps up the price. I think they are fairly comfortable, or, as comfortable as in-ear headphones get. Also, a nifty and unique attribute the Pistons have is their enticing scent. The smell is reminiscent of chocolate, with a hint of vanilla and just the tiniest bit of coconut. Take my word for it - the aroma is very appealing. So, in conclusion - the Xiaomi Pistons are incredible headphones, regardless of price. However, when you add all of the details, like the aggressive pricing, the beautiful design and the crisp, clear and vivid audio, together with the sturdy premium packaging and box, as well as the headphones being manufactured out of luxurious materials like beryllium (an elusive material that is extracted from precious gems and jewels, and which is actually harder to find than gold) - then the headphones really have no match, anywhere in the world.


A Box Fit For A Minimalistic King
The Xiaomi Pistons are delivered inside an almost unfathomably small box. The thin, rigid cardboard is of surprisingly high quality, and the clean exterior of the box has really grown on me since I saw it for the first time.

Xiaomi claims that the 15° chamfered edge on the back of the actual earphones improves ergonomics, and I can only agree. The circular, by Xiaomi patented, “CD-pattern” is a reoccurring theme on the headphones, and creates a nice “vibrating sensation” when you run your fingers across it.

All In Took Was Someone Thinking Inside The Box
The Xiaomi Pistons are delivered entirely without a manual. However, don’t be frightened by the Chinese letters that litter the box - all the instructions your could possibly need (and then some) are printed as large, educative images - on the inside of the firm cardboard -, that provide very little room for misinterpretation.

The instructions do everything from detailing which earphone is the right and left one, to explaining exactly how the Pistons can be winded up in the slick “silicone winder” included.

Style Is Timeless - So Are The MK301 Pistons
The Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 (MK301) are, without a doubt, truly beautiful headphones. From the cool industrial design - that incorporates a reoccurring pattern of precise grooves in the solid beryllium enclosure -, to the soft silicone earphone tips - these headphones have got it all.

Although the volume controls don't seem to be compatible with iPhones, they work fine together with Android phones. More importantly, however - the microphone works fine with all phones, and captures a very clear, crisp and realistic voice transmission.

A Mold With A Secret
The Xiaomi Pistons are securely fastened inside a silicone mold, which in turn is domed by a clear and elegant plastic lid. The mold is a great way to transport your Pistons in style. It also features a “secret compartment” underneath, where all the different sized stock earphone tops are stored.

Xiaomi claims that the silicone used both for the “winder” (the mold) and for the tips are akin to the softness of baby skin. The entire plastic box that contains the silicon mold is also, according to Xiaomi, modelled on “jewellery grade gift boxes”. The cord, which I still believe is made out of nylon, is by Xiaomi said to consist of kevlar.

The Best Is Saved For Last
The Xiaomi Pistons are remarkable headphones. You can only really appreciate their awesomeness by listening to them, but I have managed to decipher some information from Xiaomi’s Chinese website.

Xiaomi utilised new beryllium drivers in their MK301 Pistons, something which they claimed improved the bass-performance of the headphones, and improved the overall sound. Also, the cavity resonance was dramatically reduced which increased the audio-spectrum, boosting the performance of the headphones even further. The headphones also employ a dual dampening system, to provide a more balanced sound, along with sound chambers precision machined by diamond tools.